13 Nov 2004
Rallying individuals and different groups together around a common interest is never an easy task, but this grand idea is what drove the formation of NashvilleCyclist.com. Each of us loves our bicycle and spend a large amount of time (and money) pursuing our passion. Unfortunately, too many of us are enjoying this passion alone and not sharing the experience with all the other countless riders in our area.
When designing this website we envisioned it as a place where all bicyclists would come together and form a stronger cohesiveness. The bicycling community must work harder at forming stronger bonds within itself, or continue to suffer the fractured state of affairs it's currently living. NashvilleCyclist was never meant to be a profit center, but with your cooperation it can certainly act as the conduit for the bicycling community.
Nashville is a city with over a million people, but we are unable to get strong consistent turnouts to training rides each week. This area is highly regarded for organizing and promoting charity events that attract over 500 riders for a century ride. However, on any given weekday or weekend you are hard pressed to find a group larger than five riding together. On those evenings or weekends a ride is "planned" it's a sad sight to see just a handful spin up. Where is everyone?
A fractured bicycling community cannot accomplish much, and proof can be found in the failure of Share The Road cultural license plate. This editorialist was told personally by a club president they weren't sure the plate was something they should get behind, and this from the club who is mentioned in the law authorizing the plate. To say a jaw dropped is an understatement.
However, an excellent example of riders coming together was when Wilson County attempted to ban bicyclists on two popular roads about a year ago. Riders in that area politely protested before county commissioners, and with the law on their side achieved success and opened the roads. Sadly, those standing up for the rights of bicyclists were located only in the affected areas, with exception to Walk/Bike Nashville. Nobody else from Davidson County, Sumner County, or the heavily biked Williamson County lent a protesting voice. Wake up folks or you may be next.
There are no good reasons why each ride shouldn't attract 50 or more riders, and if it's a weekend ride the minimum should be 75 plus riders. Think about those Saturday mornings as you're either riding by yourself or in a small group, and recall all those riders you encountered along the road who were not part of your group. Have you asked yourself, "Where are they going?" Of course there are different riding abilities, but that does not mean a large group can't start together and then split off into an A and B group.
There are many wonderful benefits to a larger turnout. First, it's an opportunity for everyone to fellowship and catch up with one another. The bike is our water cooler. The camaraderie found in group riding is a beautiful thing, and the bonds formed through this activity last a lifetime. Secondly, these rides form the cohesiveness of the bicycling community that help build bridges and overcome obstacles. Bicyclists tend to be loyal people who care deeply for their friends, and the laughs and chats on the bike are building blocks to possible future working relationships.
Third, group rides are a wonderful opportunity to learn about the sport and how to handle yourself on a bike. Too many ride alone except for a few charity rides, and when they get in a pack they are a hazard to the group. Taking part in regular training rides with large groups will teach you how to interact with the pack and maneuver your machine. You will learn double pace lining, drafting, rotating, pointing out obstacles, and standard communication signals. Every bicyclist could benefit from this experience.
Lastly, you will quickly learn your strengths and weaknesses. There's no better measuring stick for fitness and strength than riding with a group. Everyone starts at the bottom at one point, but through consistent group training you will be able to assess your abilities and train accordingly. All of us take pride in getting up the hill ahead of our buddy, or winning the sprint at the city limit sign. Test yourself against your friends and challenge one another to improve.
NashvilleCyclist suggests a few ideas and challenges for bicyclists to consider. To build a stronger bicycling community all the local clubs must work more closely together and promote shared events. These events can be planned training rides and casual gatherings, or charity and race events. Clubs should be communicating with one another more frequently, and not just to make sure their events don't overlap. Become friends and partners to promote the sport in order to help fuel growth. Face it, the future of clubs rests on your ability to attract new riders and keep the ones you already have.
Race teams and racers must set the example by showing up and riding at the weekly training rides. Racers are some of the worst complainers about people not showing up, yet they are the worst ones for not showing up! End your team specific training days since it affectively isolates you from the rest of the racing community. Every team should train together and split off during the ride if necessary. Simply put, if you aren't working you should be at the Model Airplane Field on Saturday.
Racers and club riders should also reach out to one another better, and end the stereotypes and perceptions each has of one another. All racers are not snobs who look down on club riders, and all club riders are not weak and dangerous to ride with. Abilities may truly be on different playing fields, but the attitudes towards one another should be on equal terms. Both should encourage one another to participate and join the ride.
Lastly, everyone is encouraged to utilize NashvilleCyclist.com in a more productive way. The use of the message board is almost non-existent, but it's available for everyone to post comments or questions about any topic. Don't hesitate to email with any information concerning training rides, events, news, or anything else you believe the community may benefit from.
The 2005 season is soon to begin, and it offers an opportunity for us to build a foundation of future growth here in Nashville. If you're only interested in selfishly riding your bicycle then keep it up. However, if you want to make a difference the first step is simple.........show up.